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Controversial ref call that sent Chiefs to Super Bowl could lead to biggest rule change in NFL history
NFL referees are human beings, not robots. And human beings make mistakes. Josh Allen and the Bills lost the game but could help create a major rule change againGetty For all of the chatter surrounding Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs receiving favorable calls in recent weeks, the reality is that all 32 NFL teams regularly benefit from yellow flags and calls — missed and correctly made — in every game. Robots aren’t taking over NFL decision making anytime soon. But a historic rule could be coming, and it directly relates to a pivotal fourth-down call in the AFC Championship that had world championship implications. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen pushed hard for a first down on fourth-and-1 during the final period. Many fans believed that Allen made the mark. TV commentators also suggested that Buffalo had a first down. “Reaching for it — it’s close,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said. “Here’s looking from the other side, where the football is. … Does he get enough to get to that line.” “Those are two very different spots,” Tony Romo added. Chaos followed, with big-bodied players for both teams pushing and shoving, as refs rushed in to make a call. x@Rate_the_RefsAllen moved toward the line of scrimmage for a first down[/caption] x@Rate_the_RefsHe had momentum and appeared to gain the necessary yardage[/caption] x@SharpFootballRefs converged but saw different things[/caption] x@SharpFootballWith players pointing opposite ways, a ref finally made a big call[/caption] “The Replay Official reviewed the short of the line to gain ruling, and the play was Upheld,” the NFL game book stated. “The ruling on the field stands.” Anger followed, since a clear shot of Allen wasn’t viewable on TV, and it was obvious that refs never had a perfect angle of where the ball was in Allen’s hands in relation to the first-down marker. “The ref who had a visual on the ball was overruled by the ref who was behind Allen and couldn’t see the ball,” a fan tweeted. “Yeah ok, seems legit.” Buffalo led 22-21 before it turned the ball over on downs. Kansas City followed with a touchdown drive to go ahead 29-22 and never trailed again, advancing to its third consecutive Super Bowl. But the real story was human error, not an NFL conspiracy. Last year, Sports Business Journal reported that the league was testing optical tracking technology that would involve a camera-based system. Human decisions involving first-down markers, backward and forward passes, punts, ball placement, intentional grounding and more could all be tracked. A microchip could also be placed inside footballs, allowing instant movement tracking across the field. “In my 24 years on television I have said the words MICROCHIP IN THE BALL a hundred times,” ESPN’s Tony Reali tweeted. “I do not understand how the greatest league in the world still has a guess method. “Eye balling, from 30 yds away, trying to squint through a mass of humanity and walk in a straightish line to where it was, even when the other guy from the other sideline is somewhere else. “Technology exists, technology works, tech would be fun!” Artificial intelligence could be used for good to help the NFL. GPS tracking is normal within cars and smart phones. But in 2025, the NFL is still relying on human eyes and distant judgement to professionally place a ball, while as many as 20 large athletes push each other around in the same area. If the NFL does place a microchip in footballs to add highly detailed tracking on the field, it would rival instant replay as the biggest technological advancement the sport has ever seen. For frustrated Bills fans and bitter Chiefs haters, the NFL is already far behind the times and out of touch with modern technology. “In Tennis, the Hawkeye is fun,” Reali added. “The oooooooohs and ahhhhhhs are amazing drama. “I WATCH ENTIRE HIGHLIGHT VIDEOS of close Hawkeyes for fun! NFL could have this.” This wouldn’t be the first time that a Chiefs-Bills playoff game created a major rule change. When Mahomes and Allen needed overtime to decide a winner in 2021, the NFL was eventually forced to change the core of its OT rules. Follow talkSPORT NFL on Facebook Follow our talkSPORT NFL page on Facebook for the latest breaking NFL news, exclusive video interviews, and the biggest talking points from around the league. Our dedicated NFL YouTube channel ‘End Zone’ will also keep you across the very latest NFL news with exclusive access and our weekly ‘Rundown’ review show.
NFL referees are human beings, not robots.
And human beings make mistakes.
For all of the chatter surrounding Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs receiving favorable calls in recent weeks, the reality is that all 32 NFL teams regularly benefit from yellow flags and calls — missed and correctly made — in every game.
Robots aren’t taking over NFL decision making anytime soon.
But a historic rule could be coming, and it directly relates to a pivotal fourth-down call in the AFC Championship that had world championship implications.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen pushed hard for a first down on fourth-and-1 during the final period.
Many fans believed that Allen made the mark.
TV commentators also suggested that Buffalo had a first down.
“Reaching for it — it’s close,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said.
“Here’s looking from the other side, where the football is. … Does he get enough to get to that line.”
“Those are two very different spots,” Tony Romo added.
Chaos followed, with big-bodied players for both teams pushing and shoving, as refs rushed in to make a call.
“The Replay Official reviewed the short of the line to gain ruling, and the play was Upheld,” the NFL game book stated. “The ruling on the field stands.”
Anger followed, since a clear shot of Allen wasn’t viewable on TV, and it was obvious that refs never had a perfect angle of where the ball was in Allen’s hands in relation to the first-down marker.
“The ref who had a visual on the ball was overruled by the ref who was behind Allen and couldn’t see the ball,” a fan tweeted. “Yeah ok, seems legit.”
Buffalo led 22-21 before it turned the ball over on downs.
Kansas City followed with a touchdown drive to go ahead 29-22 and never trailed again, advancing to its third consecutive Super Bowl.
But the real story was human error, not an NFL conspiracy.
Last year, Sports Business Journal reported that the league was testing optical tracking technology that would involve a camera-based system.
Human decisions involving first-down markers, backward and forward passes, punts, ball placement, intentional grounding and more could all be tracked.
A microchip could also be placed inside footballs, allowing instant movement tracking across the field.
“In my 24 years on television I have said the words MICROCHIP IN THE BALL a hundred times,” ESPN’s Tony Reali tweeted.
“I do not understand how the greatest league in the world still has a guess method.
“Eye balling, from 30 yds away, trying to squint through a mass of humanity and walk in a straightish line to where it was, even when the other guy from the other sideline is somewhere else.
“Technology exists, technology works, tech would be fun!”
Artificial intelligence could be used for good to help the NFL.
GPS tracking is normal within cars and smart phones.
But in 2025, the NFL is still relying on human eyes and distant judgement to professionally place a ball, while as many as 20 large athletes push each other around in the same area.
If the NFL does place a microchip in footballs to add highly detailed tracking on the field, it would rival instant replay as the biggest technological advancement the sport has ever seen.
For frustrated Bills fans and bitter Chiefs haters, the NFL is already far behind the times and out of touch with modern technology.
“In Tennis, the Hawkeye is fun,” Reali added. “The oooooooohs and ahhhhhhs are amazing drama.
“I WATCH ENTIRE HIGHLIGHT VIDEOS of close Hawkeyes for fun! NFL could have this.”
This wouldn’t be the first time that a Chiefs-Bills playoff game created a major rule change.
When Mahomes and Allen needed overtime to decide a winner in 2021, the NFL was eventually forced to change the core of its OT rules.
Follow talkSPORT NFL on Facebook
Follow our talkSPORT NFL page on Facebook for the latest breaking NFL news, exclusive video interviews, and the biggest talking points from around the league.
Our dedicated NFL YouTube channel ‘End Zone’ will also keep you across the very latest NFL news with exclusive access and our weekly ‘Rundown’ review show.
